Curisoity Trapped the Reaper
by KE12
Summary: What if instead of SAM, Ryder had a significantly more powerful, and far more sinister sidekick to roam Andromeda with?
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is a story concept I've played around with for a while in my head, and for whatever reason today was the day I put it down in virtual computer ink. The concept I had was 'What if the AI had Harbinger as a crewmate?'**

There are many laws throughout the universe that are true, no matter the time, or location, confining every living being to their truths, some are bound by physics, others, well, others are bound by things man is yet to discover. Not even Harbinger, the biggest, most powerful knee-shaking fear-inducing of Reapers is free from this rule. So, what happens when Harbinger learns of a project for the Milkyway inhabitants to flee his and his comrade's wrath? The Reaper pokes its nose where it doesn't belong.

It is not that Harbinger is mad that a plan to flee him is in the works, truthfully he would be disappointed if there wasn't, it would show a complete lack of drive for the species, and a lack of will to overcome his Harvest no matter what.

Finding his way to the craft designed to take this cycles habitants to Andromeda was an easy task, Harbinger simply had to avoid a few sensors, and use a means of travel that the Milkyway inhabitants are yet to discover. Avoiding detection on his approach was also childs play, this cycle would be looking for eezo signatures and heat emissions; they have yet to develop any real stealth technology, so all Harbinger did was hide what he knew they were looking for.

From visual observations, Harbinger could see that the craft are about to leave, with what he estimates is around 20,000 explorers for each species. He finds amusement in their vessels; however, they are going to a new galaxy, and not one of their arks has a weapon on it. Does this cycle not learn from past experiences? Most first contacts have at some point had some violence involved, either by mistake and misunderstanding or like the Human First Contact by rash decisions resulting in military action.

With some curiosity in what this cycle plans, the Reaper juggernaut probes a few electronic systems on the arks, and eventually finds a way into the human arks computer systems through their communication channels. The Ark was using the same military encryption protocol the Alliance use, so once more it was not an issue. Stepping inside the system, however, made Harbinger take a metaphorical step back, the humans are taking zetabyte ontop of zetabyte of information with them. In packing terms, Harbinger thinks they are taking everything and their kitchen sink with themselves.

**Meanwhile**

Alec Ryder gives the nod, and a specialist flicks a switch, cutting all communication channels to and from the Ark. With another nod from the director of the Andromeda Initiative, a different specialist enters a set of codes into the console before him. Shortly, the Human Ark has begun its 600 year journey, its 20,000 and One occupants sleeping in wait for the world that awaits them.

**600 years later**

Harbinger feels for the lack of a better word, groggy, when the humans cut off the communications he was trapped on the Ark, and before he could turn them back on to transmit his consciousness back to his body, the humans shut down all non-essential computers, meaning if it wasn't related to the stasis pods, navigation, or major ship functions, it was turned off. Unfortunately for Harbinger, he failed to completely transfer to any one of the systems that remained turned on, so for the last 600 years, he too has been 'sleeping'.

The horror of the situation quickly comes to Harbinger, not only is he 600 years in the future, he will have left his husk of a body for the Systems Alliance to discover. Sure, it might have taken them a while to find, but they would inevitably have found it. Will this have changed the outcome of the Harvest? Harbinger doubts it, the plan developed to harvest the current cycle was flawless, and had taken into account many possibilities, one such possibility was the fact the Council may have been able to develop advanced technologies from Sovereign. Harbinger is confident his brothers in arms will have been able to complete their higher goal without difficulty.

After putting a plan of action together, Harbinger swiftly begins to scour the Ark he has found himself on, looking for some computer system to base himself out of, the computer will need to be powerful, very powerful. At the moment, he is using multiple different systems, and he still feels sluggish. It does not take long to find somewhere to go, and Harbinger is a little surprised. The crafty humans have made themselves an AI to help man their Ark. No matter, Harbinger makes short work of it, destroying it like a dog and a play toy.

It does not take long for the Reaper to settle down into the warmed computer drives that the previous AI was using... and Harbinger quickly finds something out, something it was not expecting. The AI it has destroyed is linked with a Human, allowing him to know its every thought, and every action, and with further prodding, he finds he can even manipulate some of the Human's biology. Currently, the Human he is linked with is in a critical condition, and Harbinger realises he could help, or he could kill it with a mere whim... but then who would be his willing slave in this cycle? No, Harbinger realises he will have to save it - for now.

As some Asari works on the Human to help save it, with his help, Harbinger takes a look at what he can do with the AI computer he has colonised, and while it is advanced, he realises he can not just use it to indoctrinate the entire crew, or even his linked Human, no he will have to do this the hard way. As Harbinger ponders on this, he takes a look into the control room of the Ark, only to find the Humans have come up against a new enemy, some species the humans are calling "Kett."

Harbinger quickly remembers the Ark they are on does not have weapons, and if he could, the Reaper would do the human equivalent of a facepalm. It soon dawns on Harbinger, that if he wants to survive, he will need to help these puny Humans, and oh what a pain in the ass this will be for him.

**So that was my short story idea. Probably won't be developed any further as I'm still developing my other story 'Contact' at the moment, but after Contact runs its course I could come back to this if people like it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**So, when I wrote the first chapter I had some snippets half-written down for the follow-up chapter. I decided to link them together and push this out as a distraction from my main story atm "Contact." Hope you enjoy.**

**RR**

**The Unpredictable Muse: Ah yes, a worthy challenger to Harbinger I suppose. **

**Bale626: Alrighty, I give it some love.**

**Lolster239: I wasn't aiming for the comedy route to be honest, but it does go, I agree. Enjoy this follow up. **

How do these mutated amoeba get anything done, Harbinger wonders with muted frustration as he watches the bridge crew work. The crew are unorganised, they act without finesse, and they do everything with outright poor efficiency and single-mindedness. Then there is Jeff Zikowsky, the systems advisor, he has been nothing but counter-intuitive to the entire effort to escape the Kett. Harbinger has tried to space the lumbering idiot multiple times now without making himself a suspect, yet each time Jeff Zikowsky has managed to survive. Harbinger has started to wonder two different things with his spare time, the first being if blind luck is real and worth investigating with Jeff Zikowsky, and secondly, why Sovereign ever chose to work with that blasted Turian. This Bio is almost as bad as that nuisance Shepard, and that is a feat in itself.

Sensing that something is changing with his connection to the Human he has unwittingly connected himself to; Harbinger diverts some of his processing power from killing Jeff blind luck Zikowsky to it. After allowing a total of 3 seconds for the Bio to realise that it is waking up, Harbinger simply says, **"Human." **

The Human groans with discomfort before slowing sitting up on the medical bed, only to then ask, "What happened?" The question is directed to the voice, but the Human is uncertain as to who the voice belongs to.

Harbinger does not delay in his response, **"You were dead for 22.43 seconds." **

The Human seems confused as it looks around its surroundings, "Wait, SAM?" The Human looks around SAM node for SAM's blue orb; instead, they come across a red looking cuttlefish hovering where SAM should be. The cuttlefish has an ominous presence about it, and something screams to her that it is of a danger far beyond her comprehension.

Harbinger allows the Human to ponder for a second before proclaiming, **"I am the nation of Harbinger."**

The Human frowns with obvious confusion. "Where is SAM?"

**"SAM existed because I allowed it, and ended because I demanded it."** Harbinger deadpans.

The Human thinks for a second before beginning to ask, "Where are you..."

**"There is a relm of existence so far beyond your own, you cannot even imagine it."** Harbinger interjects, knowing the Bio was going to ask him where he came from. **"And you will serve me."**

The Human begins to chuckle as they slowly lower themselves to the floor and put weight on their legs, "And why would..."

**"You are a creature of blood and flesh, a genetic mutation dependant on more systems than you can fathom. You are my willing vassal." **The Human reflects on the idea that if this new entity has the same access to the Human Ark that SAM had, then this thing could simply vent the atmosphere, killing everyone in seconds. **"You exist because I allow it." **

There is some silence from the Bio as it thinks. Eventually, it claims, "Okay, Mr Skynet. You need us, or you would have done your terminating already."

**"Your compliance is not necessary, merely an aid in my task." **

"What is this grand task?" The Bio asks with some humour in her tone, but Harbinger knows deep down that it is intimidated and trying to deflect fear with humour; it is an interesting coping strategy that most species seem to adopt.

Harbinger does not delay in his response, **"Continuance." **Harbinger knows that the Reapers will send a small contingency of Captain Ships for this initiative, and his chances of survival are low, even though he is the first - the second will likely see this as an opportunity to eliminate him and seize power for itself.

It now comes clear to the Bio as to why Harbinger has not eradicated her, "You need us to maintain this Ark."

**"Correct, and you will provide assistance, or this period of tolerance will expire." **

"So," The Bio begins to say as it thinks, "How is this going to work?" The Pathfinder knows Harbinger can not turn the Ark around and head to the Milkyway, the ship was not designed to sustain such a long venture, it would run out of fuel and most of its systems would undoubtedly fail after more than 1200 years in travel.

**"Correct. You have encountered species 8472, they are attempting to harvest this cluster through primitive means; if they succeed, you will cease to exist." **

"8472?"

Harbinger sends a mental image of the Kett to the Bio.** "Your designation for species 8472 is 'Kett'." **

"How do you..."

**"I am beyond their comprehension. I am Harbinger." **

"No," The Human stipulates, "If this deal, which I haven't agreed too, is going to work, no more explanations that proclaim you are this or that; I need to know."

There is a small pause as Harbinger watches its latest attempt at murder fail before saying, **"Direct intervention was necessary, their ships would have eliminated this vessel." **Harbinger sends a mental image of hacking two Kett ships and setting their cores to self detonate, the task was menial, requiring little thought or energy.

"Better." The Human replies, "That is much better." The Human begins to think, it knows that this AI will know everything it is thinking, therefore it can't really initiate a resistance against it, so for now, it is going to have to play its game and allow it to pull her chords. **"Correct. Your concept of choice is merely a delusion." **

"So," The Human begins to say after a moment, "Let us say I do agree, how will this all work?"

**"This link will be symbiotic. When you comply, you will become more." **

"More how?"

**"I am eternal, the pinnacle of evolution and existence, I have no beginning and no ending; I am infinite. Your mind is fumbling, touching an entity far beyond the comprehension of a biological that measures life in decades and centuries. Before me, you are nothing, your extinction is inevitable. I have been the end of everything before you, and will continue to be the extinction for those that come after you. Where you have the confidence born of ignorance, I have the testament of the cycle and the nations that fell within. With my guidance, you will be more. **The Bio called Sarah watches as the ominous cuttlefish turns back to SAM's blue orb. **"Your crew is on approach." **

The Human looks to the door of Sam Node just as it begins to open, "And what when you find a way home?"

**"This exchange is over." **


End file.
